“Hookin' Up”: Dating preference and sexual practices of San Francisco Bay Area API Young Adults

Background:  Several studies have confirmed associations between sexual attitudes, peer norms and positive intentions and sexual practices among college-age young adults.  Such studies often do not focus on Asian Pacific Islander (A&PI) or their dating and sexual practices.  Limited information warrants exploration of A&PI dating preferences (attitudes and peer norms) and sexual practices as San Francisco (SF) Bay Area data indicates that new HIV infection rates among the local A&PI population is eight times higher than the national rate.  

Methods: Using snowball and convenience sampling, 466 A&PI  aged 18-24 residing in four SF Bay Area counties completed a risk behavior screening survey targeting at risk A&PI young adults from two public universities, community, club, and HIV testing events. The abstract sample focuses on Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Multi-Ethnic/Racial (MER).  Chi-square statistics were used to determine associations between ethnicity, dating preferences and protective sexual practices.

Results:  MER had the highest percentage for preference of a sexual partner not like themselves, while Filipinos had the highest percentage for a preference of a sexual partner like themselves (p=.00).  Filipinos had the lowest rates for protected vaginal sex, while MER had the highest rates (p=.00).  For non-like partners, MER still had the highest rates for protected vaginal sex (p=.00).

Conclusions: Sexual partner preference was strongly associated with the MER.  Filipinos exhibited lowest rates of protective vaginal sex, with a stronger preference for same-ethnicity sexual partner.  Findings may suggest that young Filipinos believe dating within one’s own ethnic group as a safer “sexual” practice.